


Nightlight

by jdphoenix



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Avengers Movies Universe
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-26
Updated: 2012-06-26
Packaged: 2017-11-08 15:34:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/444711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jdphoenix/pseuds/jdphoenix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony surprises Pepper and gets an unwelcome surprise of his own.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nightlight

**Author's Note:**

> Minor Avengers spoilers, balanced by a complete disregard for a certain canon event. (I'm still in denial, okay?)

"And tell Happy I'll be ready to go in two hours."

"Of course, Ms. Potts," her assistant said. The poor girl was trying to juggle a stack of files on the Stark Tower rebuild, her tablet, her phone, and - Pepper wasn't quite sure how this had happened - her left shoe.

"And Mona? I won't need you again tonight, so why don't you try to get some rest?"

"Yes, Ms. Po-" Mona suddenly realized just what she'd been ordered to do and smiled broadly. " _Thank you_ , Ms. Potts."

Pepper smiled and closed her hotel room door on Mona. The girl was good at the job and had already lasted longer than any of Pepper's previous assistants (not counting the one assigned to her by a covert organization). With any luck Mona would find her stride in the position and Pepper would be able to forget about that stack of resumes hiding in the desk of her L.A. office.

She slipped her shoes off and pulled off her jacket, tossing it carelessly onto the couch and justifying the mess with the knowledge that it had to be dry-cleaned anyway. The time she'd just given herself was one she'd been looking forward to all day. She had a fundraiser to attend and after a long day of alternately petting politicians' egos and reminding them that she'd had her hand in Washington longer than they had, she deserved a good soak.

"Oh, you're back."

"Ah!" Pepper clutched her chest as Tony sat up on the couch, pulling her jacket off of his head. "Tony! What are you doing here?"

He put his arms behind his head to stretch. "I thought you might like some company."

Not one to allow Tony Stark to interrupt her life, Pepper resumed undressing, this time laying her clothes neatly on the bed as she did so. "I thought you were staying in New York to get Dr. Banner settled."

"He's settled, didn't even take a day! The man has no earthly possessions to move and he's so determined to be zen about everything, he's almost adamant about it."

"I'm sure you'll cure him of that," Pepper said dryly. "That still doesn't explain why you're here."

He rose and crossed the room in three quick strides. She was still wearing her skirt and pantyhose but nothing else. He grabbed hold of her hips and pulled her close, easily wrapping his arms around her back. "Can't a guy want to surprise his girl?"

"A guy. Not you."

He rolled his eyes up to the ceiling, letting his head fall back in exaggeration. She was certain this was a premeditated move on his part since it pressed his hips closer to hers and she was left with no doubts as to what he wanted.

She grabbed hold of his shoulders to force him to stand up straight and his gaze caught on the window.

"What's that?" he asked, his voice suddenly tight and his grip on her turning more steely than sensual.

She looked, expecting to see smoke or a man on a distant ledge but the view was the same as it had been every other day. "I don't see-"

He let her go so abruptly that she fell onto the bed and watched as he rounded it and reached for the socket just beneath the window. _Oh_.

"Oh," she said.

"What is _this_?" Tony held the novelty nightlight out to her.

Figuring he knew what a nightlight was she said, "Phil gave it to me for my birthday last year."

"Because he likes to set a creepy fanboy mood when he sleeps with you?"

Pepper slowly turned, tucking one leg under her so that she could face him without getting up. Without her heels they were the same height and she wanted him to know she didn't have to stand to intimidate him. "I'm going to let you try that sentence again."

Tony ran a hand through his hair and she could see him testing out different responses in his mind before he finally settled on, "It's a _Captain America_ nightlight."

"It was a gift," she pointed out.

"A crappy gift. You're not a seven year old boy and everyone on the planet knows who your favorite superhero is and it definitely isn't Captain America."

Pepper let a contented sort of grin settle on her face, the kind that could be interpreted as pitying but wasn't necessarily. It was gratifying to see doubt enter Tony's eyes.

"It's not Captain America, is it?" he asked.

Rather than answer she said, "Happy's picking me up in two hours for a fundraiser. If you promise to be the big, strong hero and save me from a night of boredom, I'll let you get ready with me."

Before he could process that she headed for the bathroom. She didn't even make it to the door before she heard the soft thump of the nightlight hitting the bed and she didn't make it one more step before Tony was behind her, helping her with her skirt.

\----------

"I cannot believe I let you talk me into that," Tony groaned as she dug her room key out of her purse. He was leaning against the wall beside the door, trying and failing at looking beaten down by a night of socializing. She'd seen him beaten down, it smelled worse.

"I don't remember having to do much talking," she said lightly.

He grinned and followed a bit too close behind her when she finally got the door open. Once in the darkness of her room he wasted no time, pulling her close and sprinkling kisses down her neck. She twisted in his arms and undid his belt with practiced ease. Their shoes disappeared by the door, his jacket fell somewhere along the way to the bed, and suddenly her legs were hitting the mattress. She fell back and smiled eagerly up at him, but Tony wasn't looking at her. His eyes were on something behind her and she realized suddenly that room service must have come in while she was gone and plugged the nightlight back in.

Tony pushed away from the bed and stalked to the outlet.

"What are you doing?" Pepper asked, pushing her head up so she could watch him upside-down.

"I'm getting rid of this thing. Tomorrow I'll buy you an Iron Man one and order will be restored."

She rolled off the bed and hurried to stop him. "You are not getting rid of it!"

He spun on her, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring at her as if he was the wronged one here. "And why not?"

Pepper sighed. "Lay down."

"If you think sex is going to stop this argument - well, we'll pause."

She almost laughed but knew from experience that would only encourage him, so instead she said, "No, just lay down and I'll tell you."

He eyed her warily but did as she asked. She didn't follow and instead remained where she was beside the window.

"Now close your eyes."

He looked like he might try to fight her on it but did as she asked. He heard her moving around and a moment later she was straddling him.

"Not that I'm complaining," he quipped, "but I thought you said-"

"Shut up." She leaned over him to kiss him before settling back and opening his shirt. "You can open them now."

He opened his eyes and looked expectantly up at her. Usually he loved the sight of her like this, lit up by his reactor and smiling down at him, but he couldn't see anything that would explain the stupid nightlight.

"Notice anything different?" she asked.

"Should I?"

"Nope," she said. She nodded towards the outlet but the light was gone, she must have unplugged it before getting into bed.

"I'm still not getting this."

She rolled her eyes and he bucked his hips. He was the genius here, if he wasn't getting it she'd clearly left a few blanks in her explanation.

"The reactor," she said. "It glows, even at night."

"Of course it does, it works 24/7 to keep me alive, or would you prefer it- oh." He suddenly remembered a conversation the first night they'd spent together, one about how he was used to the light while he slept but he could cover it up if she preferred. She'd said no, that she'd get used to it too.

Pepper smiled. "The Iron Man nightlights glow yellow-red but the Captain America ones glow white-blue."

"So you don't have a weird fangirl crush on Steve? Because that'd be awkward since he just moved into the Tower."

Pepper hit his shoulder lightly. "I knew there was some other reason you came down here!"

"So sue me! I need a few more buffers between me and him. I'm thinking all of the Avengers, how does that sound?"

Her fingers crawled slowly up his stomach, making a path between his naval and the reactor. "Can I keep the nightlight?" she asked. He didn't answer right away and her fingers slid back down to toy with the fly of his pants.

One of the benefits to sleeping with Pepper was that instead of simply being cowed by her glares and threats, he got sex in exchange for doing things he didn't want to. Which was why it was very hard for him to roll his eyes and say, "Pfft! No!"

The zipper, which she'd managed to get halfway down, went back up very abruptly.

"Hey! Sensitive area, there!"

She started to climb off him and he had to sit up to grab her hands and keep her from leaving.

"You can't keep it," he explained slowly, "because it would be silly to when I'm going to make you an arch reactor nightlight that will be a million times better than any stupid Captain America one. _Okay_?"

She smiled fondly down at him. "You know you're the most self-centered man on the planet, right?"

"And you should be thankful for that." He grabbed her waist and rolled her beneath him. "Because your happiness," he said over her laughter, "means my happiness and I am about to be very self-centered."


End file.
